The final days of Holy Week are a special time in the Church year. We follow closely the Gospel narrative and accompany Jesus during the last 24 hours before his death.
One pious tradition is to assign specific hours to the various events the occur during Jesus’ Passion, starting on Holy Thursday and ending on Good Friday. In this way a person can unite themselves in a unique way to the suffering and death of Jesus.
Below is an hour-by-hour narration of Jesus’ final moments so as to facilitate your prayer during the next few days.
*Note: All hours are approximate and based on scripture and tradition.
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Holy Thursday
Mid-Day – Jesus’ disciples prepare for the passover
And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the passover. (Matthew 26:19)
6:00 p.m. – Jesus begins the “Last Supper”
And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:14-16)
8:00 p.m. – Jesus leads his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane
And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:39-40)
9:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. – Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by soldiers. He is taken first to Annas, former High Priest, and then to Caiaphas, current High Priest, where he spends the night in a dungeon.
Good Friday
6:00 a.m. – Jesus is taken in front of the Sanhedrin and sent to Pilate
When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council … Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate. (Luke 22:66; 23:1)
7:00 a.m. – Jesus stands trial in front of Pilate and sent to Herod Antipas
[Pilate] asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. (Luke 23:6-7)
8:00 a.m. – Jesus stands before Herod Antipas and is mocked
Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate. (Luke 23:11)
8:30 a.m. – Jesus is brought back to Pilate and tries to release him
“You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.” (Luke 23:14)
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Jesus is scourged and then starts the ascent to Mount Calvary
“I will therefore chastise him and release him” … And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:16, 26)
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Jesus is nailed to the cross and hangs there for three hours
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:33-34)
3:00 p.m. – Jesus dies on the cross
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-46)
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And today we celebrate...